MTAP
Description
The MTAP (methylthioadenosine phosphorylase) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 9.
MTAP (methylthioadenosine phosphorylase) is an enzyme essential for polyamine metabolism. It is encoded by the MTAP gene located on chromosome 9. This gene has various spliced transcript variants, but their complete structures remain unclear. MTAP is crucial for the salvage of adenine and methionine. It initiates the polyamine metabolism pathway by catalyzing the reversible phosphorylation of MTA to adenine and 5-methylthioribose-1-phosphate. This occurs after MTA is produced from S-adenosylmethionine. MTAP also plays a role in the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, which causes African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness). The T. brucei MTAP has broad specificity and can cleave MTA, adenosine, and deoxyadenosine. Deoxyadenosine cleavage protects the parasite from accumulating toxic levels of dATP. This cleavage activity is relevant for developing drugs against African trypanosomiasis.
MTAP is also known as BDMF, DMSFH, DMSMFH, HEL-249, LGMBF, MSAP, c86fus.
